Lizzy, my dream job would be to develop a new health care system. I do have an idea that would lower premiums, wage earners are currently paying and help fund medicare. It includes mandatory participation of business that operate under a corporate banner to invest in the people they employ.

It would take corporate business out of the office of health care providers, giving them back the control of their offices. It would take the money out of the pockets of corporate business and back to those actually providing care. And the highest standard of care would be mandatory for all.

If you come to California I can explain it person to person in greater detail.

To whom would those lower premiums be paid and who would operate medicare? This doesn't sound too different from what we have now, except that someone other than insurance companies would oversee the system. Who would that be?

To whom those lower premiums would be paid are details I don't want to talk about in an open forum.

I will tell you there was a bill in the California State Legislature that covered all these area and would extend a lower financial health care burden to the state. The legislature would NEVER allow it to reach the floor for a vote. Who do you think stopped it and why?

I don't want to get into the "who"s and "why"s of our healthcare system because it won't change anything. The system is what it is. It will only change when our government starts doing its job and works in a bipartisan way to fix things.

[size=34]'I’m sure people will be very happy to get a big fat beautiful check and my name is on it!' Donald Trump revels in having his name on $1,200 bailout payments - but DENIES it was his idea[/size]

President Trump said he didn't order his name to be put on the stimulus checks going out to Americans amid the coronavirus pandemic

But he reveled over the fact that it was happening when asked about it Wednesday at the White House by reporters

'I'm sure people will be very happy to get a big beautiful check and my name is on it,' the president said

Trump said he didn't know how the design of the checks came to be, but said it wasn't a big deal nor would the payments be delayed

Learn more about how to help people impacted by COVID

By KEITH GRIFFITH FOR DAILYMAIL.COM and NIKKI SCHWAB, SENIOR U.S. POLITICAL REPORTER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM and WIRESPUBLISHED: 20:08 EDT, 15 April 2020 | UPDATED: 21:03 EDT, 15 April 2020

President Trump said Wednesday that he didn't know how his name ended up being printed on the $1,200 stimulus checks - but suggested the American people woud love them. 'I'm sure people will be very happy to get a big fat beautiful check and my name is on it,' he said at Wednesday's White House press briefing. Trump was asked in the Rose Garden about a Washington Post report that said the U.S. Treasury Department ordered the president's name to be printed on the checks the Internal Revenue Service is planning to send to tens of millions of Americans. Trump's name will be in the memo line below a line that reads 'Economic Impact Payment,' The Post reported Tuesday night, citing unnamed administration officials. The president said he didn't know how it got there. 'Well I don't know too much about it, but I understand my name is there,' he said. 'I don't imagine it's a big deal,' he later added.

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President Trump said Wednesday that he didn't know how his name ended up being printed on the stimulus checks - but suggested the American people woud love them.

A fictitious United States Treasury refund check, which typically shows the signature of a career civil servant from the IRS on the memo lineThe decision to include Trump's name was announced to the IRS information technology team on Tuesday, the Post reported.'The team, working from home, is now racing to implement a programming change that two senior officials said will likely lead to a delay in issuing the first batch of paper checks,' the newspaper said.On Wednesday Trump denied that there would be any such delay. 'I do understand it's not delaying anything,' he told reporters. 'I'm satisfied with that,' he said. The name of the president has never before appeared on checks issued by the IRS, such as for tax refunds. Those checks are typically signed by career bureaucrats at the agency.

Citing administration officials, the Post reported that Trump had privately suggested to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who oversees the IRS, to allow the president to formally sign the checks.The president is not an authorized signer for legal disbursements by the U.S. Treasury, however. The checks will carry the signature of an official with the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, the Treasury Department division that prints the checks. The report drew allegations that Trump is trying to use the stimulus checks to boost his re-election bid, by giving voters the impression that he is personally responsible for the relief payments.

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Doors at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in the Henry M. Jackson Federal Building in Seattle are seen in a file photo

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'He is delaying printed checks so they can update computer code to include his name in the memo line. True story,' tweeted actress Alyssa Milano. 'The narcissism has always been gross. Now it will delay millions of families from receiving money they desperately need,' Georgia-based publisher Hans Appen wrote. 'Reports of further delays to the stimulus checks with the unprecedented requirement that they each be 6 feet long and individually delivered by the publisher's clearinghouse prize patrol,' joked radio producer Charles Bergquist. A Treasury Department representative, however, denied any delay and said the plan all along was to issue the checks next week.'Economic Impact Payment checks are scheduled to go out on time and exactly as planned—there is absolutely no delay whatsoever,' the representative said in a written statement to the Post.The individual stimulus checks are part of the $2.3 trillion aid package passed by Congress and signed by Trump last month. Many Americans will receive their stimulus check by direct deposit in their bank account, if they provided the IRS with direct deposit information on their 2018 or 2019 tax returns.

[size=18]Democrats want mail-in voting in next stimulus bill

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For those who did not file a return in either year, the IRS has an online form to provide payment information to receive a direct deposit or check.The IRS has already begun issuing the one-time payments this week. Direct deposits are expected to go out faster than the physical checks.Most adults who earned up to $75,000 will see a $1,200 payout, while married couples who made up to $150,000 can expect to get $2,400. Parents will get payments of $500 per child.In recent days, social media posts have falsely claimed there's one catch to this money - that Americans will eventually have to pay it back.'Next year, you're automatically going to owe $1,200 come tax season,' one of the videos, viewed hundreds of thousands of times on YouTube, falsely claims. The video has also been shared widely on social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.The U.S. Treasury Department and IRS, which are working to deliver the money to people, confirmed that households will not have to pay back the money in next year's tax filing.'This is not an advance and there is absolutely no obligation to pay it back,' Treasury spokeswoman Patricia McLaughlin said in an email.The confusion on social media appears to have stemmed from language in the economic rescue bill that refers to the checks as an 'advance refund' because the money is being given out in the 2020 tax year, before Americans have even filed their tax returns for the year.The 2020 tax form has not been printed but the relief checks will not have any bearing on your income deductions next year, said Eric Smith, a spokesman for the IRS.

[size=34]Airlines get their piece of the stimulus pie: Treasury reaches deal to prop up payrolls with $25 billion in exchange for option to take ownership stake[/size]

The same $2.3 trillion stimulus bill that ordered checks for many Americans contained massive fiscal stimulus for businesses as well. Ten U.S. airlines, including the 'Big Four,' have agreed to terms to accept a $25 billion in federal aid to meet payrolls during the coronavirus crisis in exchange for granting the Treasury Department the option to exercise small ownership stakes.American, Delta, United and Southwest Airlines were among the carriers that agreed to the massive bailout deal, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said in a statement on Tuesday evening.

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merican, Delta, United and Southwest Airlines were among the carriers that agreed to the massive bailout deal, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin (left) said on Tuesday eveningNews of the deal sent airline stocks soaring in after-hours trading, with Delta shares rising 9.5 percent and American up 10.7 percent. Also accepting federal aid were: Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Air, Frontier Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, and SkyWest Airlines. The deal includes 10 of the top 12 U.S. carriers. The other two, Spirit Airlines and Republic Airlines, said on Tuesday that they were still in discussions with the Treasury. The assistance will include a mix of cash and loans, with the government getting warrants that can be converted into small ownership stakes in the leading airlines.Major carriers will receive 70 percent of the funds for payroll in cash assistance that will not need to be paid back, while smaller carriers receiving $100 million or less will not need to repay any funds.

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This chart shows the number of daily air travelers in the US (blue) as well as that number's change from a year ago (red), based on data released by the TSAThe airlines did not want to give up equity, but Treasury demanded compensation for taxpayers. The airlines have little leverage - their business has collapsed as the coronavirus pandemic reduces air travel to a trickle and they face mass layoffs without the federal aid.According to the statute, companies receiving funds cannot lay off employees before September 30 or change collective bargaining agreements and must agree to restrictions on buybacks, executive compensation and dividends.Buybacks and dividends are banned through September 2021, and executives must accept salary restrictions until late March 2022. The statute gave Treasury the authority to demand compensation for the grants, but did not require it.

Two things: 1. $1200 or $2400 won't go very far in NYC - with or without drumpf's name on it. It's maybe one month's rent - or bills covered for a month or two. It will be helpful, but not nearly enough to keep a family afloat.

2. Years ago my folks asked me to buy some airline stock for them and the stockbroker was adamantly against it. Airlines work on a very slim margin. Their costs are astronomical and profits are minimal. My folks insisted and bought stocks in PAN AM. It went bankrupt a year later. By taking airline stock as payment the Treasury Department may have just found another way to waste taxpayer money.

[size=34]Protesters in MAGA hats and flying Confederate flags swarm Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Utah, Wyoming and Virginia to demonstrate 'tyrannical' and 'unconstitutional' lockdown orders that are 'worse than the virus'[/size]

Protesters have continued to gather across the United States, ignoring social distancing rules, to demonstrate against lockdown orders they call 'tyrannical' and 'worse than the virus'. Crowds of people - many decked out in MAGA hats and with Donald Trump posters - have met up in Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Utah and Wyoming this week with more crowds in Virginia Thursday. The organizer of demonstrations in Michigan, Meshawn Maddock of the Michigan Conservative Coalition Quarantine, called the lifesaving quarantines 'tyranny'. The group say they are 'Republicans who want our party to stop moving left'. They run associated groups called Michigan Trump Republicans and Women for Trump. Maddock told Fox News: 'Every person has learned a harsh lesson about social distancing. We don't need a nanny state to tell people how to be careful.'Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said those protesting, some flying Confederate flags, had likely lengthened lockdowns. She said: 'The sad irony here is that they...may have just created the need to lengthen it.'A startling image from Ohio shows a baying crowd at the window of the Statehouse Atrium on Monday. Two protesters wearing Trump hats, other wave American flags and one is in the V for Vendetta mask. And in Virginia ReOpen Virginia, End The Lockdown VA and Virginians Against Excessive Quarantine organized a protest Thursday against Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam's lockdown. In Utah, where Gov. Gary Herbert has closed down public schools for the rest of the year and ordered businesses to shutter amid the coronavirus pandemic, protest signs read 'Resist like it's 1776' and 'America will never be a socialist country.' Republican Larry Meyers, who organized the grassroots event and ran for Senate, said it was to 'assert our God-given, Constitutionally-protected rights, including freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, religious freedom, the right to contract, and the right to use our property as we see fit so long as we do not harm others'. And in Kentucky protesters stood outside the window Democratic Governor Andy Beshear as he spoke the state's residents about the ongoing lockdowns. Hearing their shouts of 'facts over fear' Beshear said: 'Folks, that would kill people. That would absolutely kill people.'+21

Columbus, Ohio: Protesters stand outside the Statehouse Atrium where reporters listen during the State of Ohio's Coronavirus response update on Monday, April 13+21

Michigan State Capitol in Lansing: Three protesters pictured in the 'Michiganders Against Excessive Quarantine' protest at the Michigan Capitol building in Lansing on Wednesday posing in military garb and armed with guns+21

Raleigh, North Carolina: Protesters from a grassroots organization called REOPEN NC argue with a Raleigh police officer during a demonstration against the North Carolina coronavirus lockdown at a parking lot adjacent to the North Carolina State Legislature in Raleigh, North Carolina, on April 14+21

Richmond, Virginia: Demonstrators hold signs as they gather in opposition to Virginia's stay-at-home order and business closures in the wake of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak on Thursday in Richmond, Virginia+21

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Utah: Protesters gathered in Utah on Wednesday. Gov. Gary Herbert has closed down public schools for the rest of the year and ordered businesses to shutter; protest signs read 'Resist like it's 1776' and 'America will never be a socialist country'[size=10][size=18]Protesters gather in Utah to end state's shutdown

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THE GROUPS HELPING TO ORGANIZE PROTESTS AGAINST LOCKDOWNS

UTAH Republican Larry Meyers, who organized the grassroots event in Utah has also run for Senate. Meyers describes himself as a 'leading conservative voice' and has 'previously protested Planned Parenthood', and organozed to 'oppose illegal immigration'.MICHIGAN The organizer of demonstrations in Michigan , Meshawn Maddock of the Michigan Conservative Coalition Quarantine, called the lifesaving quarantines 'tyranny'. The group say they are 'Republicans who want our party to stop moving left'. They run associated groups called Michigan Trump Republicans and Women for Trump. NORTH CAROLINA A Reopen North Carolina Facebook page has more than 42,000 members. The grassroots group say: 'We are residents of North Carolina that stand for The Constitution.'VIRGINIA ReOpen Virginia, End The Lockdown VA and Virginians Against Excessive Quarantine helped to organize the protest. Each group has thousands of Facebook followers. One page states: 'We are tired of the misinformation & fear mongering...Time to take our power back!!'One supporter desrcibes herself as a 'die hard Forever Trumper'. WYOMING Libertarians The Natrona County Campaign for Liberty helped to organisze the protest. They say they are 'the premier group for advancing liberty in the United States!'

A Reopen North Carolina Facebook page has more than 42,000 members. A protester there was arrested Wednesday, according to local reports. In Ohio about 100 protesters assembled outside the building during Gov. Mike DeWine's weekday update on the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, upset that the state remains under a Stay-At-Home order and that non-essential businesses remain closed.Residents there have questioned if DeWine is Republican after he enforced lifesaving lockdowns. One asked: 'Don't he believe in less government? Small government?' One protester tweeted: 'A tyrannical government in the making' and said the protest was a 'fight for our CIVIL LIBERTIES'. In Wyoming protesters led calls to 'defend liberty' and urged Gov. Mark Gordon to not 'flatten the economy'. Protester Cathy Ide, from the Natrona County Campaign for Liberty, told The Casper Star-Tribune: 'You drive through Casper, it's like a ghost town compared to what we usually are.'You don't have the usual hustle and bustle, and it's just sad.' On Wednesday protesters defied social distancing and gathered outside Michigan's State Capitol to demand Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer end her strict stay-at-home orders because it restricts their freedom, and they insisted people are smart enough to make their own decisions. Furious demonstrators waving Make America Great Again flags leaned out of their car windows and chanted 'lock her up' in heavy traffic as part of #OperationGridlock - a stunt set up by the Michigan Conservative Coalition and the Besty DeVos family-linked conservative group, Michigan Freedom Fund. Thousands of drivers caused havoc around the building in Lansing and backed traffic up for a mile, but hundreds defied pleas from organizers to stay in their cars by heading to the capitol steps to vent their anger at the stringent policies, which they believe are violating their constitutional rights. Some said they would rather die from coronavirus than see the small businesses being crippled and forced to close because of the pandemic, which has so far left 28,000 infected and 5,000 dead in Michigan. Members of the crowd - many not wearing protective medical masks and some armed with assault rifles - shouted 'Recall Whitmer', waved Confederate flags, showed off Trump-Pence 2020 posters and held banners saying 'Heil Whitmer' and 'live free or die'. Many said the closure of home improvement stores, greenhouses, hairdressers, landscaping companies and the banning of boating and fishing was the source of their anger. The governor criticized the protesters for risking themselves and others taking part in the protest by touching each other, handing out food with their bare hands and blocking an ambulance. She also said it was ironic that a group rallying against her stay-at-home order 'may have just created a reason to lengthen it'. The gathering was an angry response to Whitmer's executive order last Thursday where she imposed one of the strictest set of lockdown guidelines in the country.

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Share[size=18]Protesters in North Carolina call for the state to reopen

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Columbus, Ohio: People protest against the Ohio Stay at Home order, issued by Governor Mike DeWine to help slow the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), outside the Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio on April 9

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Ohio: . About 100 protesters assembled outside the building during Gov. Mike DeWine's weekday update on the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, upset that the state remains under a Stay-At-Home order and that non-essential businesses remain closed

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Thousands of furious demonstrators have gathered at Michigan's state Capitol, creating a massive traffic jam filled with honking cars and flag-waving protesters in defiance of the state's stringent statewide stay-at-home orders on Wednesday. Protesters, some showing off guns, pictured on the front steps of Lansing's Capitol building urging Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to lift her lockdown mandate

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Locals wrapped in winter coats and hats carried signs that said 'Stop the Fear', 'End the Lockdown' and 'Heil Whitmer', comparing the governor to Nazi leader Adolf HitlerShe stopped people in Michigan from returning to work, barred residents interacting with neighbors, restricted interstate travel, and prevented constituents from fleeing to their cabins in the country. Whitmer also announced that lawn care, construction, fishing, boating with a motor, home improvement and gardening were non-essential activities - while alcohol and lottery tickets were deemed essential. Protesters complained that their freedoms were being denied, and some lamented they could not go a hairdresser to get their roots done or stock up on lawn fertilizer.

Whitmer held a press conference during the demonstration, where she said: 'I was really disappointed to see people congregating and not wearing masks'. She also said she saw one person 'giving out candy with bare hands'. 'We know that this demonstration is going to come at a cost to people's health, she added. 'When people gather that way without masks... that's how COVID-19 spreads'. 'The sad irony here is that ... they don't like being in this stay-at-home order and they may have just created the need to lengthen it, which is something we're trying to avoid at all costs.' 'This is about public health. I'm not focusing on politics. I'm trying to save lives here.' Three lanes of traffic were filled with lines of cars blaring their horns outside of the state building on Capitol Avenue Wednesday afternoon, with locals declaring they're ready to get back to work and get back to their regular lives. Traffic was backed up for more than a mile in multiple directions in the protest.

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The raucous gathering dubbed #OperationGridlock was organized by the Michigan Conservative Coalition (MCC) in Lansing in protest of Dem. Governor Gretchen Whitmer's lockdown rules that will last through April 30. A protester wearing a MAGA sweater carried a sign that said 'Free Michigan, Trump 2020, Impeach Whitmer'

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Three lanes of traffic were filled with lines of cars blaring their horns outside of the state building on Capitol Avenue Wednesday afternoon, with locals declaring they're ready to get back to work and get back to their regular lives

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People in their vehicles pictured protesting against excessive quarantine orders from Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer around the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing on Wednesday

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Protesters were seen not wearing masks and failing to maintain social distancing at the Wednesday protestNeither the Michigan State Police or the Lansing Police Department had reported any arrests by 2pm local time.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer imposes one of the strictest lockdowns in the country

Signed an executive order extending Michigan's stay-at-home order through April and imposed new rules

No gatherings of any people who are not part of a single household

No travel to in-state vacation or second homes

Large stores can only have four customers for every 1,000 square feet of customer floor space. And they must close all areas 'dedicated to carpeting, flooring, furniture, garden centers, plant nurseries, or paint'

No motorboat or jet ski us

Lt. Darren Green of the Michigan State Police estimated several thousand cars were part of the demonstration, with 100 to 150 people on the Capitol lawn. The activists complained that the rules violated their civil liberties and freedoms, expressed anger over which businesses were allowed to remain open, and frustration over the cancellation of Easter and Passover services. They also believe people are smart enough to make their own decisions regarding protecting themselves during the coronavirus epidemic. 'I'm a state representative from the 102nd district and I'm here to support my people. I have a lot of constituents down here right now,' State Rep. Michele Hoitenga said in an interview with a local station. 'They want to get back to work. They can't access the website to get benefits, then they want to get back to work. We're recommending we adapt to federal guidelines to do it safely,' she explained. Most protesters expressed their desire to get back to work as unemployment in the country has skyrocketed by more than 16 million over the past three weeks. 'I'd rather die from the coronavirus than see a generational company be gone,' Justin Heyboer of Alto, Michigan, said to USA Today. His family has owned Wildwood Family Farms for four generations, which is suffering a major financial blow in light of the coronavirus crisis and lockdown. [size=18]Trump mega-fan leads protest at Michigan state capital over lockdown

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On Thursday Gov Whitmer issued a new stay-at-home order tightening constraints by closing home-improvement stores, limiting use of motorboats, restricting interstate travel, and barring constituents from fleeing the heavily afflicted parts of the states to their cabins in rural Michigan. A man pictured protesting in his boat pictured above+21

An Operation Gridlock protester pictured standing on top of his car holding a Trump 2020 poster 'It's time for our state to be opened up. I'm tired of not being able to buy the things we need, go to the hair dressers, get our hair done,' one woman said to Fox News, showing her graying roots.'Can't buy paint, can't buy lawn fertilizer or grass seed, come on, all statewide?' another local added.

The Michigan House Republicans shared posts about the protest on Twitter saying: 'People are upset because they believe the restrictive order is taking away their fundamental civil liberties and freedoms''All of these people still have to go home to the sober reality that they don't have income coming in. It's heartbreaking,' Meshawn Maddock, a board member of the Michigan Conservative Coalition, said. Whitmer's executive order was met with immediate backlash let by Republican state legislators who found her rules draconian and excessive.On Tuesday, a group of four Michigan residents filed a lawsuit against her saying her order infringes upon First and Fourth Amendment rights.President Donald Trump said in March he had a 'big problem' with Whitmer referring to her as 'that young, a woman governor'. 'I love Michigan, one of the reasons we are doing such a GREAT job for them during this horrible Pandemic. Yet your Governor, Gretchen 'Half' Whitmer is way in over her head, she doesn't have a clue. Likes blaming everyone for her own ineptitude! #MAGA,' he tweeted. +21

Some signs held by protesters said: Even Pharaoh freed slaves during a plague'+21

These two girls held a sign that said 'My constitutional rights are essential' at the Wednesday protest+21

A woman smiles and waves a Trump 2020 flag from the back of a pick-up truck at the Wednesday Operation Gridlock protest+21

A banner saying Benjamin Franklin quote 'Security without liberty is called prison' was displayed in front of the Capitol building'Governor Whitmer believes that everyone has a right to protest and speak up,' Whitmer's deputy press secretary said of the Wednesday protests in a statement, according to Business Insider. 'She knows that a lot of people are angry and frustrated, and will always defend everyone's rights to free speech – the Governor asks those who choose to protest these orders to do so in a manner that doesn't put their health or the health of our first responders at risk.' The governor spoke out about the backlash she's received from the MCC in a news conference earlier this week, in which she pointed out that the group is funded in large part by the family of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, and is very active in Michigan conservative politics.'This group is funded in large part by the DeVos family,' she said Monday, according to local station WWJ. 'And I think it's really inappropriate for a sitting member of the United States president's Cabinet to [be] waging political attacks on any governor.''I think that they should disavow it, and I encourage people to stay home and be safe,' she said.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has extended New York's coronavirus lockdown by two weeks until May 15. Cuomo said on Thursday that while the rate of hospitalizations in New York is decreasing, it was still unclear how many people have actually been infected with COVID-19.He said the unknown tally of infections is what is stopping him from reopening the economy because if people who don't know they are infected return to work, they risk infecting countless others and wiping out all the progress that has been made. Only after May 15 will he begin to consider allowing some people back to work. Even then, it will be a phased return and businesses have to prove how essential they are and then how they can maintain social distancing among employees. Then, the workforce will be able to return gradually in percentages in the reverse of how Cuomo shut the state down. In mid-March, businesses first had to reduce their workforces in the office to 75 percent and then to 50 percent before 100 percent had to go home. Cuomo gave no confirmation that he would even lift the lockdown order on May 15 or on how long it would take to scale up getting 100 percent of the workforce out of their homes. He said he would make those decisions and others in coordination with other states in the region. President Donald Trump's social distancing guidelines are set to expire on April 30 and he has cited May 1 as a target for reopening the country. 'The close down has worked. However, we're not there yet,' Cuomo said. 'We have to continue. I'd like to see that infection rate get down even more. 'I don't want to project beyond that period - that's one month. What happens after then, I don't know. We will see depending on what the data shows.'[size=10][size=18]Governor Cuomo extends 'New York Pause' to May 15

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He said the current infection rate in New York is 0.9 but China's Wuhan, where the global outbreak first started, lowered to 0.3 before the city reopened.

[size=34]CUOMO'S BACK TO WORK BLUEPRINT [/size]

1) How essential is the business? Cuomo did not explain how he would determine which businesses were essential and which were not.He said: 'How essential is the business service or product or function, the more essential a business service or product, the more urgent the need to immediately get them back on line.' The current list of businesses that are essential and remain open includes pharmacies, doctors offices, transportation, grocery stores, restaurants for delivery only and liquor stores. 2) How can the business maintain social distancing among employees? The second part of the plan is how safely the business can operate in the climate of COVID-19.'What is the risk of infection spread of that business. 'Some can say, "I can open tomorrow in my business, I'll have all sorts of precautions. People will not be less than 6ft apart, there will be no congregation, I won't do conferences or meetings, I can bring them back put them at separated desks... businesses can start to redesign their work place to start to think that way. That's the second factor,' he said. 3) TestingCuomo said that the blueprint relies on testing - both diagnostic and antibody testing - but that the federal government must step in to make that happen and make it happen quickly because the state does not have the capacity. He has made a direct plea to the federal government for FDA approval for a finger prick test that can then be used for 100,000 tests per day. He did not say whether employees had to have had a test and tested negative for COVID-19 or antibodies before they could return to work.

The infection rate - which is how many people does one infected person pass it on to - was at 1.2 when there was an outbreak, giving a tiny margin for error. 'We are at .9 now after this entire close down. If you go to 1.2 you're going to have a problem again. You see how narrow the window is. 'What does the infection rate mean? It gets a little granular but people have to understand it. The infection rate is how many people does one person infect, how fast is the virus spreading from one person to another. 'If one person infects less than one person, the disease is on the decline. If one person infects one more person, the rate of spread is stable. When you have a really situation out of control is when one person infects two or more people because the increase is exponential and that's fire to dry grass. 'This is what we have to control as we start to reopen the economy. You turn the valve, we watch the meter. The meter is the hospitalization rate or the virus spread rate so you start to turn that valve, bring people out of their homes, you see that number going up? You turn the valve back right away. 'This is what we're trying to deal with going forward. Nobody has been here before so we're trying to figure it out,' he said.The extension of the stay-at-home order comes in the same week Cuomo and Donald Trump went head to head after the president called any governor who resisted his 'total authority' a mutineer and threatened to withhold coronavirus aid from them if they didn't heed his call to reopen the country. On Wednesday, Trump said he was prepared to announce new guidelines allowing some states to quickly ease up on social distancing even as business leaders told him they need more coronavirus testing and personal protective equipment before people can safely go back to work. Trump said during his latest White House briefing that data indicates the US is 'past the peak' of the COVID-19 epidemic, clearing the way for his plans to roll out guidelines to begin to 'reopen' the country. +5

There are now more than 12,192 deaths in New York from COVID-19. Cuomo said he still wants to see the infection rate lower more before he reopens the economy 'We'll be opening some states much sooner than others,' Trump said.The ultimate decisions will remain with governors. Cuomo also defended his decision to enforce masks or face coverings in public.'I've had many people say they don't like it. I understand that people do not like it. Some people think it is an imposition and a government overreach. 'Some people think the close down was a government overreach and this was all a fabrication and political conspiracy. 'To them, I say: If you don't think 600 people died yesterday and it's a fabrication then I will bring you to see the 600 people who died yesterday,' he said. From tomorrow, all New Yorkers must wear a mask or face covering or risk receiving a civic violation.

[size=34]IRS insists there are no problems with delivery of $1,200 stimulus checks as Americans claim they are being sent to the wrong accounts and claim banks are withholding payments if they are overdrawn[/size]

The IRS system for dishing out stimulus checks designed to help Americans financially impacted by the coronavirus pandemic has been plagued with issues

Thousands claim checks have been sent to accounts that don't belong to them

Several banks are pocketing the funds if the customers' accounts are overdrawn

Parents are missing out on the $500 check for their dependent children

Americans who use popular online tax preparation services such as TurboTax say they have been left out of the payment run

The IRS continues to insist there are no problems

Americans started receiving checks and the online portal launched Wednesday

Within hours, frustrated taxpayers took to social media to blast the tool, saying the site was crashing or couldn't find their details

Several complained they got a message saying: 'Payment Status Not Available' sparking fears they have been missed off or deemed ineligible

Hundreds told how checks were being paid into dead relatives' accounts

The IRS has insisted there are no problems with the delivery of the $1,200 stimulus checks, while thousands of Americans claim they are being sent to the wrong accounts and say banks are pocketing the much-needed funds if they are overdrawn. Parents of young children have reported missing out on the $500 check for their dependent children and Americans who use popular online tax preparation services such as H&R Block, TurboTax and Jackson Hewitt say they have been left out of the payment run. The latest fiasco in the emergency coronavirus payments comes after the system went into meltdown yesterday - the day the first Americans started receiving their checks and the online portal launched. Desperate taxpayers voiced outrage as the website kept crashing, many were told they may not be eligible for a dime and bereaved relatives were traumatized by blunders that meant checks were sent to people who have been dead for years, while thousands in dire need of money received nothing.

Desperate Americans took to social media to complain after their much-needed $1,200 stimulus checks have been sent to the wrong accountsBut amid the ongoing saga, the IRS has continued to insist there are no problems with the process, congratulating itself on Twitter that the payments have been made 'on schedule, as planned and without delay'. Thousands of people have now discovered that their deposits have been sent to the wrong bank accounts. Americans expecting the financial boost on Wednesday were left confused as their bank accounts lay empty. When they checked the online portal, many found the cash was sent to a bank account that doesn't belong to them. Aimme Saldana, a warehouse worker in California, told USA Today that the digits of the bank account her money has been sent to do not match any account she owns. 'I was so confused,' she said. 'I don't know where they got that number from. I lost two weeks of pay because I was sick. I was depending on that for my car payment.' Chris Rodriguez, a contractor in Michigan, said he was baffled to discover the same mistake was made with his payment, given he has been using the same bank account for almost a decade.

'You're jubilant because you've been waiting to get that money. And you look down and the bank account number is not even close,' Rodriguez told USA Today. 'Because the IRS isn't taking calls, I'm more or less dead in the water.' Social media has been flooded with similar reports, as the mistake could prove costly for the millions of Americans out of work amid the pandemic.New figures from the Labor Department Thursday showed another 5.2 million people filed for first-time unemployment claims in the last week ending April 11 meaning a staggering 22 million people are now out of work due to the coronavirus pandemic. One distraught taxpayer posted on social media: 'great my stimulus check got sent to the wrong bank account I cannot find any information on how to even talk to the IRS about this issue now it looks like I'm just s*** out of luck great I really needed this money.'Another simply Tweeted: '@ the irs sent my stimulus check to the wrong bank account... mental breakdown.'

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On Wednesday the first Americans started receiving their checks and the online portal launched but the system has been plagued with issues at a time when Americans are in desperate need of money 'The @irs sent my boyfriends stimulus check to the WRONG bank account number. When we FINALLY got ahold of someone at the irs, they literally that there is no one trained on handling stimulus information. Let's see if @RepDLambornoffice can help?,' posted another.Social media users are blasting the IRS urging the agency to come clean that the system has fallen into chaos.'The IRS is sending Stimulus Checks to the wrong bank accounts and people who are Dead! My 70 year old Father is receiving Social Security benefits by Direct Deposit! NO PENDING TRANSACTIONS! Why doesn't the IRS just admit it! We F***ed Up !!' one person Tweeted.However, despite the agency being inundated with tweets about the issue, an IRS spokesperson told USA TODAY they hadn't heard anything about stimulus checks being deposited into the wrong bank accounts. In a Twitter post on Wednesday afternoon, the agency even congratulated itself over the service, triggering a backlash from outraged taxpayers.'Thanks to hard work and long hours by dedicated #IRS employees, Economic Impact Payments are going out on schedule, as planned, without delay, to the nation. The IRS employees are delivering these payments in record time. #COVIDreliefIRS,' the post read. The IRS did not immediately return DailyMail.com's request for comment.Concerning reports have also surfaced that some banks are pocketing the emergency money if customer accounts are overdrawn. Some banks are putting the $1,200 deposits toward negative balances in customer accounts, meaning already broke taxpayers are still left without a dime, the New York Times reported Thursday. One Minneapolis woman told the Times that the $2,400 check sent to her and her disabled veteran husband - that they desperately need to pay rent and feed their infant daughter - had disappeared because their USAA account was overdrawn.In South Carolina, Safe Federal Credit Union kept the entire $1,200 stimulus payment sent to one man because his account was $2,650 in the red.

Concerning reports have also surfaced that some banks are pocketing the emergency money if customer accounts are overdrawnDemocrat candidate for Texas Mike Siegel blasted the process on social media, as banks are being propped up by the emergency funds meant to help the American public. 'Absolutely obscene. A violation of every ounce of trust the people have in Congress. This money is for food, medicine, housing. The essentials of life,' he Tweeted.'If private banks want to collect debts from our stimulus checks, we need to rethink banking.'One social media user said: 'So it's yet another corporate bail out. Great.'Another person posted: 'Banks win again: those $1,200 checks heading to your account? Banks can siphon off any amount you might owe them.' Americans reportedly have no legal right to demand the money back from their banks, The American Prospect reported this week, marking a major blow for many households that lost their jobs almost a month ago when states began going into lockdown.The first lockdown was issued on March 20 in California, meaning people impacted by the first bout of layoffs have already waited almost a month for federal aid to kick in - no doubt racking up debt and becoming overdrawn on their bank accounts in the process. The three banking giants JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo and Bank of America have all publicly pledged that they will not collect the money for negative balances. Parents of dependent children are also out of pocket because the IRS has missed off the $500 payments designed for every child under 17, according to the Washington Post.

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Despite the series of blunders the IRS continues to insist that there are no problems and even congratulated itself over the serviceSeveral parents say they received a $1,200 payment for a single head of household or a $2,400 check for a couple but have not been given the $500 promised for each child.Meanwhile, experts and social media users have spotted a worrying trend among the several million people across the US who file their taxes using popular online services including H&R Block, TurboTax and Jackson Hewitt.Customers raised the alarm on social media that the payments they were expecting Wednesday did not materialize, raising growing fears that they will face hefty delays because the IRS does not have their direct deposit information on file. Consumer law expert Vijay Raghavan told the Post that the IRS does not have these people’s direct deposit information on file if they received an advance on their tax refund from these service companies.This could impact around 21 million taxpayers, he warned. IRS and Treasury officials told The Post they were aware of the issues and were working to fix them.The latest issues come hot on the heels of a series of complaints raised Wednesday - the day the payments began being deposited in American's accounts and the IRS's online tool launch to help Americans track their checks launched.

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A sample check is pictured: The federal aid package for Americans has been plagued with issues over the last 24 hours

[size=34]Hundreds of stimulus checks are sent to people who have been dead for years [/size]

While Americans on the breadline reported their bank accounts still sitting empty, hundreds of people on social media spoke out about checks being paid into dead relatives accounts. 'Deceased people are receiving stimulus checks today. My grandmother passed away in 2018 — and $1,200 was deposited in her bank account today,' one person posted on Twitter Wednesday. US Representative Thomas Massie posted a photo of a text from a friend which read: 'Dad got his stimulus check of $1200. He died in [redacted] 2018. Does he have to spend it online?' In at least two cases in South Carolina, the IRS sent checks to people who died months ago.

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People have spoken out on social media about checks being paid into dead relatives accountsTwo separate bereaved relatives told Fits News that checks had arrived for their dead family members. 'My father-in-law died just before Christmas last year,' one person said, noting that the man's bank account had received the $1,200 boost from the government. Meanwhile, one woman said a check had landed into her mother's account - who died around Thanksgiving.'I can't believe all deceased people would get a check!' she told Fit News. Widows and widowers are reporting payments for two checks - one for them and one for their deceased partners.Alongside the emotional toll that the blunder is taking, questions are being asked over whether they have to return the payments.'My mom got two stimulus checks (one for her the other for my dad who is deceased). He passed in 2018 and she hasn't filed single yet on 2019's taxes. Long story short, does she have to give that extra $1200 back?' one person Tweeted.

Online tracker crashed within hours of launch and taxpayers get error message raising fears they have been incorrectly missed off payments or deemed ineligible

Frustrated taxpayers took to social media Wednesday to blast the highly-anticipated tracker, reporting that the site was crashing or telling them that it couldn't find their details. The online tracker Get My Payment was finally launched Wednesday but taxpayers cited a series of glitches with the tool.Several social media posts complained of the site crashing as they tried to find out when they will receive the cash injection. 'The IRS 'Get my Payment' site keeps going down for technical difficulty,' one person posted on Twitter, adding that there was 'no way to contact IRS on the site'. Other Twitter users said they had managed to access the site and fill in their details but the tool then could find no information about their checks. Several complained that they are getting a message saying: 'Payment Status Not Available. According to information that we have on file, we cannot determine your eligibility for a payment at this time.' The message has sparked mounting concerns that some people have been missed out of the stimulus package or may have been incorrectly deemed ineligible. One person Tweeted: 'Did anyone else NOT get their #Stimulusdeposit and then receive this message when they checked they status on the IRS site?' Many people responded to the Tweet saying they have faced the same issue.

Others told how the site has crashed under the demand but there is no other way of contacting the IRS

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The Internal Revenue Service's online tool set up so that hard-hit Americans can track their much-needed stimulus checks has gone into meltdown just hours after it launched, with several getting a message saying: 'Payment Status Not Available''Same here and I just got my small 2019 tax refund yesterday deposited in my bank acct as I am single, make way below the guideline, just deposited my 2019 refund into my bank acct so wtf!!!,' one person posted. Another told how she had been out of work for weeks and was left in tears over fears she is not receiving the check and still has no money.'Same!! WTH? I cried and cried. I've been out of work and out of money for weeks already. I don't understand. I should qualify too,' they Tweeted. Another person slammed the tool a 'joke'.'Yo @IRSnews your get my payment site is a joke,' they Tweeted. 'Don't launch something that's not going to work for 95% of the people trying to use it.' One person Tweeted: 'Hey @IRS and @realDonaldTrump gimme my money u clowns.'

The message has sparked mounting concerns that some people have been missed out of the stimulus package or may have been incorrectly deemed ineligible

People in most need miss out on first payments while President Trump reportedly delays handouts so he can get his name printed on checks

People in desperate need of the funds have also slammed the system over when the checks are paid, after they have been missed out of the first payment run.One person Tweeted that they have not received their check despite losing their job while people still in paid employment have been among the first to get them.'Everyone I know who still has a well-paying job received their stimulus check today. Meanwhile, I haven't worked in an entire month and this is what the government has for me. #Stimulusdeposit #Stimuluscheck #IRSDirectDeposit,' they posted. One user simply said: 'Me checking my bank account for the 100th time seeing that it still ain't been stimulated #Stimulusdeposit' alongside a meme of a fist-shaking. Some luckier people told how they have seen the payments hit their accounts. 'I got my Democratic Party stimulus today. Thanks to all the Democrats who stood up for us to make sure we got something. We appreciate your hard work! #Stimulusdeposit #Stimuluscheck Keep working hard for the people!,' one happy person Tweeted. But even some of the people who have received payments have complained that the value has been incorrectly calculated. However, as well as the reported technical issues with the online portal, millions are also allegedly facing delays due to the president's insistence his name is branded on the checks.

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People in desperate need of the funds have also slammed the system over when the checks are paid, after they have been missed out of the first payment run

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Some luckier people have started receiving their payments but there are claims that the payments have been incorrectly calculatedCiting administration officials, the Washington Post reported earlier this week that the Treasury Department has ordered Trump's name be printed on the checks, slowing their delivery by several days. The president had reportedly first privately suggested to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who oversees the IRS, that he formally sign the checks. But the president is not an authorized signer for legal disbursements by the Treasury and so the request was denied. Instead, the checks will carry the signature of an official with the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, the Treasury Department division that prints the checks, and Trump's name will be printed on them. The report drew allegations that Trump is trying to use the stimulus checks to boost his re-election bid, by giving voters the impression that he is personally responsible for the relief payments. The White House and the Treasury Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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Many Americans may also face delays after it emerged that President Trump has ordered his name to be printed on the checks, slowing delivery by days. Trump is pictured signing the $2.2 trillion stimulus package providing for the payments on March 27

[size=34]IRS explains why you may get 'status not available' message[/size]

In situations where payment status is not available, the app will respond with 'Status Not Available'. The IRS reminds users you may receive this message for one of the following reasons:

If you are not eligible for a payment (see IRS.gov on who is eligible and who is not eligible)

If you are required to file a tax return and have not filed in tax year 2018 or 2019.

If you recently filed your return or provided information through Non-Filers: Enter Your Payment Info on IRS.gov. Your payment status will be updated when processing is completed.

If you are a SSA or RRB Form 1099 recipient, SSI or VA benefit recipient – the IRS is working with your agency to issue your payment; your information is not available in this app yet.

Source: irs.gov

Where's my check?To track the stimulus payments, the IRS made its tracking tool available on Wednesday. Users must enter a Social Security number, date of birth and mailing address in order to track their payment.The site will respond with a payment status, type and requests for more information, including bank account details, if needed.Americans who filed their 2018 and 2019 taxes, as well as the lowest earners, should be among the first to receive their checks, the IRS has said, reports CNN. People who haven't been required to file a return for those two years will likely have to enter additional information online. Social Security recipients will also receive their payments first. Aside from the potential for delays because of the president's request to have his signature on the checks, millions of Americans also may not see their payment sooner because they didn't authorize direct deposit. The Treasury has set up its own new web portal, where updated information can be entered.

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To track the stimulus payments, the IRS made its tracking tool available on WednesdayWhat else can I do if I don't get my check The Get My Payment tool will allow taxpayers to input their bank account information so they can receive their payment electronically, as opposed to a paper check that might take weeks, or even months.Low-income earners who did not make more than $12,200 last year or married couples who did not earn more than $24,400, and who do not normally file tax returns will have to take several actions to get their payments.Most will be able to provide the required information with the new online tool, which is very 'very straightforward, and likely much faster, than requiring non-filers to fill out and submit a tax form,' Erica York, an economist at the Tax Foundation, tells CNN.Alerting those persons is the challenge, especially for those who do not have access to the internet, she said.

This country is so f***ed up! If all those idiots want their states opened up - FINE! Open them up and let them all get sick. When they realize they were wrong and start crying for help they'd better not come crying to those of us who are taking this seriously. Just keep them the hell out of NY!

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem accused Americans across the nation of giving up their 'liberties for a little bit of security', vowing to go against the grain and keep her state open as protests against lockdown orders are staged nationwide.Infections in the state have trebled in just one week and is home to one of the country's largest virus hotspots following an outbreak at a pork processing plant. At the start of the month there were only 129 infections in the state but, as of Thursday, 988 cases have since been confirmed and six deaths reported. Despite the alarming surge of COVID-19 cases in such a short space of time, Noem insists she still had no plans to implement a lock-down.The controversial Governor assured critics that she will continue to make decisions based on 'science and 'facts', 'rather than letting emotion grab a hold of the situation.'

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South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem accused Americans across the nation of giving up their 'liberties for a little bit of security', vowing to go against the grain and continue to keep her state open despite nationwide calls to order a shutdown

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South Dakota saw its infection numbers spike following an outbreak at a Chinese-owned pork processing plant in Sioux Falls where about 500 employees tested positive for coronavirus She argued that it was up to individuals - and not governments - to decide if they should go to work, worship or stay at home. 'I took an oath when I was in congress, obviously to uphold the constitution of the United States. I believe in our freedoms and liberties,' Noem said in an interview with FOX News.'What I've seen across the country is so many people give up their liberties for just a little bit of security. And I don't have to do that. 'If a leader will take too much power in a time of crisis, that is how we lose our country. So I felt like I've had to use every single opportunity to talk about why we slow things down, we make decisions based on science and facts and make sure that we are not letting emotion grab a hold of the situation.'

South Dakota saw its infection numbers spike following an outbreak at a Chinese-owned pork processing plant in Sioux Falls where about 500 employees tested positive for coronavirus.An estimated 120 people, who are family members of the employees, have also now tested positive. The combination of the figures means the outbreak at Smithfield Foods, which was forced to shutdown this week, is responsible for the single largest cluster of coronavirus cases in the country.

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'I took an oath when I was in congress, obviously to uphold the constitution of the United States. I believe in our freedoms and liberties,' Noem said in an interview with FOX News. 'What I've seen across the country is so many people give up their liberties for just a little bit of security. And I don't have to do that'

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At the start of the month there were only 129 infections in the state but, as of Thursday, 988 cases have since been confirmed and six deaths reported

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Backlash protests against lockdown orders have been staged all over the country this. Protestors The Michigan Conservative Coalition and Michigan Freedom Fund demonstrated on the steps of the State Capitol on Wednesday, demanding shutdowns be lifted[size=18]Drone footage shows protesters in Michigan against the lockdown

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While acknowledging the troubling outbreak, Noem said that, outside of Sioux Falls, two thirds of South Dakota has either no cases or only one coronavirus case in an entire county, which in her opinion is an indication the situation is very much under control.'We are addressing the one hot spot that we do have an aggressively testing in that area,' Noem said. 'And South Dakotans are doing a fantastic job following my recommendations.'By ignoring calls to shutdown the state, Noem says she has been able to keep businesses open, while also allowing people to 'take on some personal responsibility'. Gov Noem also accused the media and high-profile critics such as Elizabeth Warren of conflating her decision not to issue a lockdown with the outbreak at the food plant.'What they are neglecting to tell folks is that this processing plant is critical infrastructure. Regardless of a shelter-in-place order or not, it would have been up and running because it's an important part of our nation's food supply,' Noem Thundered.'So that's what's been happening on the national level, they've been not telling all the facts behind us. 'If the people of South Dakota can be trusted to make good decisions. We have common sense. That's why people want to live here that's why I love living here.'

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By ignoring the calls to shutdown the state, Noem says she has been able to keep businesses open, while also allowing people to 'take on some personal responsibility' (Pictured: Demonstrators stand outside of the Virginia State Capitol refusing to comply with their state's shutdown orders)

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Protesters from a grassroots organization called REOPEN NC demonstrate against the North Carolina coronavirus lockdown at a parking lot adjacent to the North Carolina State Legislature in Raleigh on Tuesday[size=18]Protesters in North Carolina call for the state to reopen

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Smithfield Foods, which is headquartered in Virginia, is owned by China's WH Group Ltd. The company announced that in addition to closing its Sioux Falls plant, it was also shutting plants in Wisconsin and Missouri. Employees, local officials and industry sources told Reuters late last year that workers box up pig carcasses to ship to China instead of providing meat to Americans. It comes after the South Dakota State Medical Association wrote a letter to Gov Noem on April 3 urging her to issue a quarantine order for residents.'A stay-at-home order would give our health professionals the necessary time and resources to manage this pandemic,' the group said. 'We may soon be facing the challenges and hardships being seen in New York and other cities if a shelter in place order is not issued immediately.' Sioux Falls Mayor Paul Ten Haken, who is also a Republican, issued an ordinance this week that requires residents in the city to stay at home after Gov Noem refused his request to issue a statewide one.His ordinance allows residents to still travel for work, as well as out for groceries and essential items. It urges people to social distance if they are outside.In an interview with CBS This Morning on Wednesday, the mayor said the number of cases were 'staggering'.'The growth that we've seen in our COVID cases, really in the last week, has been a bit staggering,' TenHaken said. 'We're doubling and we've been doubling every four days for the last 18 days.' In reference to Gov Noem refusing to issue a lockdown, the mayor went on to say that he would rather be 'chastised for being over-cautious' than for not doing enough to stop the spread of the coronavirus. [size=18]Pork processor Smithfield shuttering plant 'indefinitely'

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[size=34]Fears for food supply chain as Smithfield Foods shutters two more meat processing plants in Missouri and Wisconsin[/size]

Chinese-owned meat packing giant Smithfield Foods has closed two additional plants in the U.S. after coronavirus outbreaks, raising concerns about the American food supply chain.Smithfield announced the closures of packing plants in Cudahy, Wisconsin and Martin City, Missouri on Wednesday, days after its Sioux Falls, South Dakota plant was indefinitely shuttered.The Sioux Falls plant, where 518 employees and 120 of their family members have tested positive for coronavirus, is now the largest single source of cases in the U.S., and the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention has dispatched a critical response team to the scene.Smithfield said in a statement that a 'small number of employees' at both the Cudahy and the Martin City plants had tested positive for the virus, without offering further details.+12

Smithfield's Sioux Falls plant, where 518 employees and 120 of their family members have tested positive for coronavirus, is now closed indefinitely

WH Group Chairman Wan Long (left) and Smithfield president and CEO Kenneth M. Sullivan (right) are seen above. WH Group bought Smithfield in 2013 for $4.72 billionThe Cudahy plant, which processes dry sausage and bacon, will be closed for two weeks, during which time employees will continue to be paid and rigorous deep cleaning and sanitization will be repeated.Union members at the Cudahy plant criticized the company last month for continuing to operate after the union said two employees tested positive for coronavirus. The Martin City plant, which produces spiral and smoked hams, receives raw materials from the shuttered Sioux Falls plant, and will not be able to reopen until officials clear the upstream plant to reopen, the company said.'The closure of our Martin City plant is part of the domino effect underway in our industry,' Smithfield president and CEO Kenneth M. Sullivan said in a statement.'It highlights the interdependence and interconnectivity of our food supply chain. Our country is blessed with abundant livestock supplies, but our processing facilities are the bottleneck of our food chain,' he continued.+12

The Cudahy, Wisconsi plant, which processes dry sausage and bacon, will be closed for two weeks for repeated deep cleaning and sanitization+12

Smithfield's Martin City, Missouri plant (above), which produces spiral and smoked hams, receives raw materials from the shuttered Sioux Falls plant, and will close indefinitely'This is why our government has named food and agriculture critical infrastructure sectors and called on us to maintain operations and normal work schedules,' Sullivan said. 'For the security of our nation, I cannot understate how critical it is for our industry to continue to operate unabated.' Sullivan said that Smithfield has implemented rigorous protocols to try to protect workers, use of thermal scanning, personal protective equipment and physical barriers, and that the company tells any employee who feels sick to remain home on paid sick leave.The company's Sioux Falls plant, which employs some 3,700 workers, is a massive food processing hub supplying Americans with nearly 130 million servings of food per week, or about 18 million servings per day. The plant processes roughly five percent of the U.S. pork supply. Smithfield, which is based in Virginia, was purchased by Chinese meat processing giant WH Group in 2013 for $4.72 billion.

A new poll shows that the majority of Americans believe that President Donald Trump was too slow to take major steps to address the threat of the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S.The poll from Pew Research Center was released on Thursday, and surveyed surveyed 4,917 adults in the U.S. in April, with weighted responses to reflect national demographics.Asked whether Trump was 'quick' or 'too slow' in leading the pandemic response, 65 percent responded 'too slow.' Asked about the problems America faces in the pandemic, 73 percent said that they believed the worst is yet to come.

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A new poll shows that the majority of Americans believe that President Donald Trump was too slow to take major steps to address the threat of the coronavirus outbreak

When it comes to state governments lifting restrictions on public life, 66 percent said they were more concerned that restrictions would end too quickly, while 32 percent were more concerned they wouldn't be lifted quickly enough. The poll also found that fewer than half of Americans, 39 percent, say Trump portrays the coronavirus situation 'about as it really is.' About half (52 percent) say he is making the situation seem better than it really is, while 8 percent say he is making things seem worse than they really are. It comes as Trump laid out his three-phase roadmap for governors to follow in restoring normal activity in places that have strong testing and are seeing a decrease in COVID-19 cases.The new guidelines are aimed at easing restrictions in areas with low transmission of the coronavirus, while holding the line in harder-hit locations.

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The Pew Research Center poll was released on ThursdayThey make clear that the return to normalcy will be a far longer process than Trump initially envisioned, with federal officials warning that some social distancing measures may need to remain in place through the end of the year to prevent a new outbreak. And they largely reinforce plans already in the works by governors, who have primary responsibility for public health in their states.'You´re going to call your own shots,' Trump told the governors Thursday afternoon in a conference call, according to an audio recording obtained by The Associated Press. 'We´re going to be standing alongside of you.'Places with declining infections and strong testing would begin a three-phase gradual reopening of businesses and schools.[size=18]Trump announces three phase plan to reopen economy

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In phase one, for instance, the plan recommends strict social distancing for all people in public. Gatherings larger than 10 people are to be avoided and nonessential travel is discouraged.In phase two, people are encouraged to maximize social distancing and limit gatherings to no more than 50 people unless precautionary measures are taken. Travel could resume.Phase three envisions a return to normalcy for most Americans, with a focus on identification and isolation of any new infections.Trump said recent trends in some states were so positive that they could almost immediately begin taking the steps laid out in phase one.'We´re starting our life again,' Trump said during his daily press briefing. 'We´re starting rejuvenation of our economy again.'He added, 'This is a gradual process.'

LizzyNY wrote:If you think Biden would do worse than the moron in charge right now, you're delusional.

What the democratic party did to give Biden the primary push resemble tactics used to get Bush elected. If you think the United States is going to change for the better under Biden, you have no clue. That fact the media (owned by Corporate business) gives the black community credit for poseidon-Biden's primary push should be a clue they are planning to send this country through hell. If you really think creepy Joe is the answer you are delusional.

Heartlove - Politics is and always has been a dirty business, combining as it does power and money. When you give imperfect human beings access to that mix you are bound to have some who exploit it to their own advantage. The idea is to elect people you believe can resist the impulse to benefit themselves over the interests of the people they're supposed to represent.

I believe Joe Biden to be a decent, caring human being. Does he have faults? Of course. None of us is perfect. But compared to drumpf, Joe Biden is a saint.

Many of your past comments lead me to believe you are a Christian. If you are, how can you even consider 4 more years of drumpf as president? He is a self-centered adulterer, a rapist, a crook, a bully, a liar and dumb as mud. He has the empathy of a brick and no compassion at all. In short, he is the complete opposite of everything a Christian is supposed to be.

IMO anyone who claims to be a Christian and supports drumpf is a hypocrite. You can't worship God and Satan at the same time.

PAN - Thanks for that video. It gave me a good laugh. I don't watch James Corden's show (it's on too late) and I avoid drumpf's pressers as much as possible. Knowing this mentally challenged buffoon is the leader of my country is too painful to watch.

LizzyNY wrote:Heartlove - Politics is and always has been a dirty business, combining as it does power and money. When you give imperfect human beings access to that mix you are bound to have some who exploit it to their own advantage. The idea is to elect people you believe can resist the impulse to benefit themselves over the interests of the people they're supposed to represent.

I believe Joe Biden to be a decent, caring human being. Does he have faults? Of course. None of us is perfect. But compared to drumpf, Joe Biden is a saint.

Many of your past comments lead me to believe you are a Christian. If you are, how can you even consider 4 more years of drumpf as president? He is a self-centered adulterer, a rapist, a crook, a bully, a liar and dumb as mud. He has the empathy of a brick and no compassion at all. In short, he is the complete opposite of everything a Christian is supposed to be.

IMO anyone who claims to be a Christian and supports drumpf is a hypocrite. You can't worship God and Satan at the same time.

You seem to not understand Corporate Business has been running the country over the last 16 years and has a stronghold on our economy. Corporate Business ran into a President, where "Corporate Business" was not able to conduct their dirty business as usual. The media focus on President Trump's shortfalls because he has thrown a wrench their plans.

If you want a view of Satan you have to know the in's and out's of the Affordable Care Act and you have to understand "the Satan driven" stronghold Corporate business has placed on our economy.

Tell me what President Trump has done, that has had a negative impact on you directly or the economy.

I understand what Corporate business wants to do with our country. What I don't understand is why you or anybody think Biden is the answer.

Other than Biden "appearing" to be a decent caring human, what makes you think he is the better pick? I'm telling you "appearing" to be decent and caring is not something to hang your hat on; that's what got George W. Bush elected.

Name one political position Biden is running on, that you stand behind. The fact he's running as a Democrat should not be the reason, Bloomberg also ran as a Democrat. The fact, when Biden was asked "off the cuff" if he "would" be willing to choose the legislative health care option his administration created and he was quick to say no should be a clue.

Lizzy, Biden's run truly reminds me of the movie "The Poseidon Adventure" all the democrats seem to be on board with no answers for the disaster that's approaching.

You choose not to answer my question: How can a Christian vote for an amoral hypocrite like drumpf? Even in government character matters and drumpf's character is an embarrassment to this country. How do you justify to yourself supporting someone who is so reprehensible?

His idea of governing is to give as much as he can to the corporations you hate so much. He gives to them because they give to him. He's one of them and for him they're the only ones who count. He ran for president to stroke his ego and line his pockets at the expense of the citizens of this country. The ACA (which drumpf wants to abolish and replace with NOTHING) isn't the only issue facing this country. Wake up!

LizzyNY wrote:You choose not to answer my question: How can a Christian vote for an amoral hypocrite like drumpf? Even in government character matters and drumpf's character is an embarrassment to this country. How do you justify to yourself supporting someone who is so reprehensible?

His idea of governing is to give as much as he can to the corporations you hate so much. He gives to them because they give to him. He's one of them and for him they're the only ones who count. He ran for president to stroke his ego and line his pockets at the expense of the citizens of this country. The ACA (which drumpf wants to abolish and replace with NOTHING) isn't the only issue facing this country. Wake up!

How can a Christian vote for Trump over Biden? Sometimes you have to vote for the lesser of two, whom people consider evil.

Even though the ACA is the most wicked legislation I've know in my lifetime, the oppressive economy (high cost of living/low wage earnings), the media driven by corporate interest who feed the narrative, legislators that yield to corporate interest are high on the list.

Not only am I awake, I'm well aware of who's driving Biden's campaign and the direction they want to take this country. If Biden gets elected, and I pray he does not, I hope you have a good life jacket.

I decided to drop off this discussion about the health care system in the States since everything heartlove said is the pure opposite of everything I've heard from Americans (not just on COH).Now I've just read that up to now about 22 million Americans are unemployed due to the Corona pandemy, and since in general many employers pay the health insurance for their employees, I'm asking myself how many of these 22 million have lost health insurance for themselves and their families. Does anybody (maybe heartlove) know about that? Or does the government pay for thrir health insurance now?

Many people are covering their arse during Covid I am sure Mr President will drop the ball during this ..... he has too much arse to cover right now .......what he thought he could manipulate into months long “I am your Saviour” campaign will backfire ....

Last night, as is now usual our News channel was interrupted to bring us “Breaking News” from Mr P .... his news conference(re election pitch)....

Everyday I see a slight difference in him ... last night definitely I could see a difference in posture .... his health may come against him.... we have no idea what the total number of cover ups are ... but he does, and is adding to them daily ... a trip up has to come!

He has focused on the wrong numbers ... the ratings (ffs).... not contagion or deaths...

I truly believe HE will be the cause of his own downfall ... and this is the time it could happen...

At last! the EU, Ursula von de Leyen apologised to Italy! ... Italy and Spain have been so brave and generous throughput this pandemic... many times we did not take on board the enormity of what was unfolding.... but it never stopped them warning and warning and warning....

carolhathaway wrote:I decided to drop off this discussion about the health care system in the States since everything heartlove said is the pure opposite of everything I've heard from Americans (not just on COH).Now I've just read that up to now about 22 million Americans are unemployed due to the Corona pandemy, and since in general many employers pay the health insurance for their employees, I'm asking myself how many of these 22 million have lost health insurance for themselves and their families. Does anybody (maybe heartlove) know about that? Or does the government pay for thrir health insurance now?

Who on this forum have insurance under the ACA,? The 22 million, did they have PPO or ACA insurance?

They can still go to free clinics that existed before the ACA was generated and they can go to the emergency dept. However, the health care system is operating with extreme caution. My brother had an ultra sound scheduled for March they rescheduled it for September, I can only hope it's not cancer.

At this point the health care system in this country, especially in the hardest hit areas, is in disarray. The hospitals in those areas are devoted to virus patients. Any other illnesses or injuries must be severe for a patient to be treated in a hospital. Anything that can be postponed or is elective will have to wait until the pressure on the hospitals lets up - and until it is safe for non-covid patients to be exposed to the hospital environment. I know people who have had to postpone treatment indefinitely. They understand why.

Our health insurance system is complicated. I won't even try to explain it, but I can tell you that a lot of people who were insured through their employers are wondering if they have health insurance now. Even if your insurance is still active you may have difficulty finding a doctor. Some are volunteering in hospitals, some are self-isolating, and some are refusing to see patients who might have symptoms of the virus. If anyone's said who's going to pay for any of this, I haven't seen it. Bits and pieces of possibilities, but nothing definite.

Many of the rallies have been inspired by a protest at the Michigan state capitol. Photograph: Matthew Dae Smith/APThousands of people are preparing to attend protests across the US in the coming days, as a rightwing movement against stay-at-home orders, backed by wealthy conservative groups and promoted by Donald Trump, continues to take hold.

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Conservative activists are demanding governors lift orders designed to stop the spread of the coronavirus, despite the recommendations of public health officials. Trump, who has clashed with Democratic governors over how soon to reopen the US economy, tweeted his support on Friday, in an unprecedented endorsement of civil disobedience by a sitting president.Many of the planned rallies have been inspired by a protest at the Michigan state capitol on Wednesday, which was attended by thousands.

[/size] Armed protesters demand an end to Michigan's coronavirus lockdown orders – videoYet while organisers claim the protests are grassroots- and people-driven, a closer look reveals a movement driven by traditional rightwing groups, including one funded by the family of Trump’s education secretary, Betsy DeVos.The rallies have drawn comparisons to the Tea Party movement, which sprang into life in 2009 following the election of Barack Obama and was driven in part by Americans for Prosperity, a group founded by rightwing donors Charles and David Koch.As with the Tea Party, the anti-stay-at-home movement has been promoted by a rightwing media eager for the economy to reopen, including Fox News which on Friday aired a segment on protests in Virginia, Michigan and Minnesota. Two minutes later, Trump tweeted to his 77.4 million followers the need to “liberate” those states.

'They seem very responsible to me': Trump defends anti-lockdown protesters - videoA majority of Americans support the lockdowns, with a Pew Research Center poll finding that 66% are concerned state governments will lift restrictions on public activity too quickly. But protests, helped by media coverage, have spread around the country.

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The two groups behind the “operation gridlock” rally in Michigan on Wednesday have ties to the Republican party and the Trump administration.The Michigan Freedom Fund, which said it was a co-host of the rally, has received more than $500,000 from the DeVos family, regular donors to rightwing groups.The other host, the Michigan Conservative Coalition, was founded by Matt Maddock, now a Republican member of the state house of representatives. The MCC also operates under the name Michigan Trump Republicans, and in January held an event featuring several members of the Trump campaign.“Absolutely the Michigan event was a huge inspiration and it was a huge success,” said Evie Harris, organizer of a ReOpen Maryland protest planned for the state capitol on Saturday.“That was the model for our event.”Thousands drove to the Michigan state capitol in Lansing, while the Michigan Freedom Fund purchased Facebook advertising to promote the rally. Protesters, many waving Trump campaign signs, honked their horns and chanted for Governor Gretchen Whitmer to end the stay-at-home rules.The protest was covered exhaustively by the rightwing media. Harris said her Facebook following grew from “700-800 people” to more than 15,000 members following the Michigan rally, inspiring her to organize “Operation Gridlock Annapolis” for Saturday.Harris said her group had support from some elected officials in Maryland, but declined to name them.While ReOpen Maryland might not have funding from rightwing advocacy groups, it appears to be linked to at least four other “reopen” organizations.“Government mandating sick people to stay home is called quarantine,” ReOpen Maryland said. “However, the government mandating healthy citizens to stay home, forcing businesses and churches to close is called tyranny.”That text is identical to text on Facebook pages calling for rallies in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Virginia. ReOpen Virginia aims to hold its own “gridlock” rally on Wednesday – again inspired by the conservative-funded Michigan event.Despite ReOpen Virginia billing itself as a “grassroots group of people and small business owners”, founder Kristen Lynne Hall said the idea for the protest came from the organizers of the “Lobby Day” demonstration earlier this year.That demonstration was organized by the Virginia Citizens Defense League, a gun rights group that has donated tens of thousands of dollars to politicians.Hall, who said Candace Owens, a rightwing activist and favorite of Trump, had been in touch to discuss the event, said the president’s tweet about “liberating” Virginia was “great”.“It could be spreading the movement,” she said. “Any support is appreciated right now.”A decade ago, the Tea Party movement billed itself as “grass roots”, despite receiving money from the Koch-backed Americans for Prosperity and the conservative organization FreedomWorks.Jenny Beth Martin, who founded the Tea Party Patriots group, promoted this week’s Michigan protest. The Tea Party Patriots also supported the protest, in messages to its 200,000 Twitter followers.Matthew Gertz, a senior fellow at Media Matters for America, a progressive media watchdog, said the similarities between the Tea Party and ReOpen movements went further, with rightwing media boosting both.

Fox News ran favorable coverage of the Michigan rally and hosts including Laura Ingraham and Jeanine Pirro endorsed the protest.“Fox gave the Tea Party a phenomenal amount of attention and promotion,” Gertz said. “It really sort of boot-strapped it to another level, and made it a political force, and we see something similar happening with these anti-stay-at-home order movements.”Gertz said he was not “simply” concerned with “the conservatives having a strong election the next time out”.“It’s a real chance for devastating consequences with regard to the coronavirus,” he said.

He Pays folks to come to his rally's this is no surprise. The man child brat wants the cities to reopen so he looks good and all his minions will vote for him. The governors won't do what he wants so his people think this pressure will get him what he wants. Hope fully the governors will see through this and ignore them lives are more important than votes for the idiot.

Annemarie - If the governors cave in to this pressure and reopen their states before they should a lot of drumpf's minions won't be around to vote for him in November....but, then again, they do believe that re-opening the economy is worth a few lives. It never occurs to them that it might be theirs.

A Chinese-owned pork processing plant in South Dakota has lost the trust of its employees after at least 634 people tested positive for the coronavirus and staff expressed concern that the company was not being forthcoming about possible exposure. Normally 3,700 people work at the Sioux Falls Smithfield Foods plant, so roughly 17 per cent of staff are infected with the virus. The plant has stopped processing meat after receiving requests from the governor and city mayor. 'We understand from firsthand employee accounts that they were not provided any protective gear,' Taneeza Islam, founder of the South Dakota Dream Coalition, explained to NPR. 'They were not given any hand sanitizer. There was no social distancing occurring on the lines from at least before March 26, to when some measures like taking temperatures outside of the plant before employees had to come in, took place on Monday, April 6.'

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Staff at the Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Smithfield Foods plant say they were not provided 'any protective gear' before the facility was closed due to exposure to coronavirus. 634 people have tested positive for the virus.Islam, who represents an immigrants advocacy group for workers at the company, was speaking against sentiments expressed by executive vice president for corporate affairs, Keira Lombardo. Lombardo claimed that the company took 17 steps to protect workers. These included adding hand sanitizing stations, enhanced cleaning and installing plexiglass barriers at its plants. But she did add that the company was experiencing shortages. 'We are doing everything in our power to help protect our team members from COVID-19 in the workplace,' said Lombardo. 'We have been working to get these measures implemented for many many weeks, all day, every day. But we do not have a magic wand.'

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Smithfield announced the closures of packing plants in Cudahy, Wisconsin and Martin City, Missouri on Wednesday, days after its Sioux Falls, South Dakota plant was indefinitely shuttered But according to Islam, workers consider themselves to be 'inches apart.' 'That lunchrooms held 500 employees at a time. And that was still occurring until mitigation efforts were being taken the week of April 6,' she added. Worker morale is at a low and the staff is having a hard time trusting execs, Islam explained. 'I think the first death of a Smithfield employee that just occurred has really shaken the community and employees as a whole,' Islam said. 'There's a strong sentiment that if proper mitigation efforts, proper PPE, proper social distancing, proper sanitizing, that it wouldn't have been this bad. We all understand that we can't eradicate the virus, but we could have curtailed [it.' Smithfield announced the closures of packing plants in Cudahy, Wisconsin and Martin City, Missouri on Wednesday, days after its Sioux Falls, South Dakota plant was indefinitely shuttered.The Sioux Falls plant, where 518 employees and 120 of their family members have tested positive for coronavirus, is now the largest single source of cases in the U.S., and the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention has dispatched a critical response team to the scene.Smithfield said in a statement that a 'small number of employees' at both the Cudahy and the Martin City plants had tested positive for the virus, without offering further details.

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Shelves at this Publix in Atlanta are seen stripped bare last month after panic buying. Plant closures now threaten the supply of pork in the US, raising the possibility of shortages

The Cudahy plant, which processes dry sausage and bacon, will be closed for two weeks, during which time employees will continue to be paid and rigorous deep cleaning and sanitization will be repeated.Union members at the Cudahy plant criticized the company last month for continuing to operate after the union said two employees tested positive for coronavirus. The Martin City plant, which produces spiral and smoked hams, receives raw materials from the shuttered Sioux Falls plant, and will not be able to reopen until officials clear the upstream plant to reopen, the company said.'The closure of our Martin City plant is part of the domino effect underway in our industry,' Smithfield president and CEO Kenneth M. Sullivan said in a statement.'It highlights the interdependence and interconnectivity of our food supply chain. Our country is blessed with abundant livestock supplies, but our processing facilities are the bottleneck of our food chain,' he continued.

The Cudahy, Wisconsi plant, which processes dry sausage and bacon, will be closed for two weeks for repeated deep cleaning and sanitization'This is why our government has named food and agriculture critical infrastructure sectors and called on us to maintain operations and normal work schedules,' Sullivan said. 'For the security of our nation, I cannot understate how critical it is for our industry to continue to operate unabated.' Sullivan said that Smithfield has implemented rigorous protocols to try to protect workers, including the use of thermal scanning, personal protective equipment and physical barriers, and that the company tells any employee who feels sick to remain home on paid sick leave.The company's Sioux Falls plant, which employs some 3,700 workers, is a massive food processing hub supplying Americans with nearly 130 million servings of food per week, or about 18 million servings per day. The plant processes roughly five percent of the U.S. pork supply. Smithfield, which is based in Virginia, was purchased by Chinese meat processing giant WH Group in 2013 for $4.72 billion.

WH Group Chairman Wan Long (left) and Smithfield president and CEO Kenneth M. Sullivan (right) are seen above. WH Group bought Smithfield in 2013 for $4.72 billionThe Food and Drug Administration has said that there is no evidence of food or food packaging being associated with the transmission of coronavirus.Smithfield has not been the only meat processor to shut down plants due to workplace outbreaks of coronavirus. Last week, Tyson Foods was forced to suspend operations at a pork processing plant in Columbus Junction, Iowa, after more than 24 employees there tested positive for coronavirus.'In an effort to minimize the impact on our overall production, we're diverting the livestock supply originally scheduled for delivery to Columbus Junction to some of our other pork plants in the region,' Tyson CEO Noel White said in a statement on April 6.Meanwhile, JBS USA, another major meat processor, has stopped operations at its beef plant in Souderton, Pennsylvania due to sick employees there. The plant plans to reopen April 16, after two weeks.Cargill also paused operations at its protein plant in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, where 900 people typically work. [size=18]Pork processor Smithfield shuttering plant 'indefinitely'

Image copyrightGETTY IMAGESImage captionCustomers entering an opticians' in LeipzigGermany has reopened small shops, car dealerships and bicycle stores, in a tentative easing of the coronavirus lockdown imposed nearly a month ago.The country has flattened the curve of new infections and last week said it had got the spread under control. But social distancing remains in force.In Saxony it is mandatory for people to wear face masks in public - and that is strongly recommended elsewhere.The only students back in school are those sitting leaving exams.Germany's mortality rate from Covid-19 is significantly lower than for many of its European neighbours. Efficient, large-scale testing by diagnostic labs, and tracing of carriers, is seen as a major factor in that.The country on Monday recorded 1,775 new cases for the past day, while the number of deaths linked to Covid-19 rose by 110 to 4,404, according to official figures.Image copyrightAFPImage captionCustomers use hand sanitiser in a fabrics store in LudwigsburgSpain registered 399 more Covid-19 deaths in the past 24 hours, pushing its total to 20,852.That is the second-highest in Europe after Italy. In both countries the daily death toll is declining.More than 200,000 are infected with the virus in Spain, but 80,587 have recovered, according to the latest official figures.

What is happening in Germany?

There are significant regional differences in how Germany's 16 states are implementing the partial relaxation of the lockdown.For instance, the densely populated state of North Rhine-Westphalia has reopened large shops as well as small. Elsewhere only those with an area of less than 800sq m (8,611sq ft) are allowed to start operating again.The government imposed the lockdown on 22 March, shutting schools and banning gatherings of more than two people outdoors. Germany's hotels, restaurants and cafes are to remain shut, as are sports and leisure facilities.Image copyrightREUTERSImage captionBerlin pupils facing school leaving exams returned to classFor most German businesses, the lockdown will remain in place until at least 3 May, the government says. Other school pupils will also begin to return to classes after that.

I'm not sure if it's not too early to re-open shops. But large shops aren't allowed to open - or have to close off most of it. Of course lots of businesses are in danger, so there's a lot of pressure on politics by the economy. But the only way to find about it is to start it.My kids will start school on May 11th and will get their homework via the internet. This works pretty well - although not all kids have the same requirements. It's not that easy when you have to do your homework on a smartphone, have no printer and no room for yourself to do your homework...

Annemarie - Not to defend Florida, because I truly believe the combined IQ of the state is maybe a 3, but not all of Florida has swallowed the Kool-Aid. Jacksonville opened its beaches. Miami might. The rest of the state is in the process of deciding what to do.

I have several family members who live in Florida and they are all being as careful as they can. They're self-isolating and wearing masks outside their homes. The swimming pools in their complexes are closed and the common room activities are cancelled. In a way it's harder for them because the weather is so nice they just want to get outside. At least here the weather is only so-so, so you don't mind staying in as much.

Where I live weather isn't bothering people , they are out walking around getting exercise. The warmer it gets the more people you see. I went out yesterday and many people wore face coverings still there were a few who didn't .

Trump compared himself to Abraham Lincoln , I'm not posting his crap today.

There are still some people out around here, too, but not nearly as many as usual. When the weather is chilly or rainy there's almost nobody on the street - and we've had plenty of rainy days lately to help keep people indoors.

Every time I talk to my relatives in Florida they tell me how beautiful the weather is. I think it must be much harder to stay inside when the beach is blocks away and the sun is shining.

Where I am people go out whether it’s chilly or mild. I think a lot of us use outdoor time to clear our muddled brains, to get fresh air and exercise. It beats that feeling of the walls closing in. As long as people don’t get together in groups outside time should be a daily habit. Unfortunately the warmer it gets even more people will start crowding sidewalks and walking trails.

I would think fairly soon Floridians won’t be be wanting to go anywhere except beaches because of the unbearable heat and humidity that comes with Florida summers.

There are no easy answers for getting businesses opened and for people to feel confident that they are safe to venture out to go shopping or go to a restaurant. Let’s hope Germany’s plan works. They at least have adequate testing and tracing. We don’t. Not by a long shot. I have no idea how we avoid significantly rising cases when states start reopening again. What Trump did by recklessly endorsing his supporters in some states to protest the stay in place orders of their states is perpetuating nothing less than cultural warfare. This political moron who is supposed to be the leader of the whole country is encouraging people to go against his own ‘official’ policy. But he’s only interested in keeping his supporters pumped up and angry so they’ll come out and vote for him in November. A f**king political moron!

Daily Kos posted excerpts from an interesting article by conservative writer David Frum that was published 2 weeks ago in The Atlantic. He claims drumpf has a 2 part plan for re-opening the country for business in May. The last paragraph says it all:

"For Trump it's a win-win. Either he pushes the country to trade poor people's lives for the pursuit of economic recovery, or he gets a cable-TV culture war to distract his supporters from the trouble he himself aggravated by his own negligence."

We need to put as much energy, if not more, into getting rid of the pestilence in the White House. He's killing a lot more than any virus ever could. He's killing a country!

John W. McDaniel, 60, of Marion County, Ohio, died of COVID-19 at a Columbus hospital on WednesdayA 60-year-old Ohio man who dismissed the state’s coronavirus lockdown as a ‘political ploy’ and claimed the governor didn’t have the authority to close businesses because of the pandemic has died of COVID-19.John W. McDaniel tested positive for the coronavirus in late March and died at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus last Wednesday.On Facebook, he had dismissed the killer virus as a 'political ploy' that he said officials were using to exert control over the public.'Does anybody have the guts to say this COVID19 is a political ploy? Asking for a friend. Prove me wrong,' he wrote in a March 13 post. He later claimed governors did not have the 'authority' to shut down bars and that anyone who was worried about becoming sick should 'just' not go out. It is unknown if McDaniel had any underlying health conditions which could have contributed to his death. According to his obituary, he battled cancer in the 80s.He is survived by his wife and their two adult sons. McDaniel was the president of his company's industrial manufacturing company. His death comes as public officials continue to struggle to temper growing public unrest and impatience with lockdown orders against the persistent virus threat.

On March 13, McDaniel wrote that 'this Covid19 is a political ploy'

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McDaniel posted a series of Facebook messages blasting the state-imposed coronavirus lockdown. He criticized Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, saying he didn't have the authority to order businesses to shutWhile some states with fewer cases are confident about gradually opening gradually in the next few days and weeks, others, like New York, are holding off until testing is more widely available and reliable.

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McDaniel is survived by his wife and two adult sons. Health officials expressed condolences to the family after his death was announced last weekOhio - which has 12,516 cases and has recorded 491 deaths - is among the states where people feel the need to get back to work outweighs the public health crisis. A quarter of the state's cases are among the prison population. There have been angry protests there this week in retaliation against the ongoing stay-at-home order. McDaniel is the first resident in his county to die of COVID-19. ‘On behalf of the entire Marion County community, we express our deepest sympathies to his family and friends,’ Marion Public Health Commissioner Traci Kinsler said in a press release issued Wednesday after his death.‘Our thoughts go out to the Marion County community, as well as all Ohioans, and those across the world battling this illness and the families of everyone affected by this pandemic.’Governor DeWine announced on Monday that schools across Ohio will stay closed for the remainder of the school year while classes continue remotely.

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Protesters gather outside of the Ohio State House in Columbus, Ohio on April 20, 2020. Thousands of people have attended anti-lockdown rallies in cities across the country demanding their states be reopened because stay-at-home orders are violating their constitutional rights

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWhine tweeted on Monday to say he had 'full respect' for protesters but wanted them to understand the public health threat of reopening the state too early He said he has 'full respect' for protesters but is begging people to keep on practicing social distancing. 'We've won a battle, we've done well, but #COVID19 is still out there and most Ohioans are still susceptible to it. The spread concern is still as strong today as it was a month ago,' he said in one of a series of tweets on Monday. 'I have full respect for protesters, but I just ask them to be safe.'My job is to listen to the people of Ohio and guide us in a way that gets us through this by losing as few people as possible while trying to put our economy back together,' he said in another tweet.President Trump has contributed to the tensions. In a string of tweets last week, he urged the governors of Michigan, Minnesota and Virginia to 'liberate' their people by reopening. DeWine was the first governor in the nation to shutter schools statewide.